The Conscience Of A Restorationist, IV

Project Ideas For Political Restoration
Ready to roll up your sleeves and get busy? Because you have a project or two that needs your urgent attention. I'm not talking about the spring-cleaning type of projects which are at the top of our minds in the Northern Hemisphere these days (though you might think of it along those lines). I'm talking about a restoration project. And what needs restoring? Nothing less than America, freedom, and a way of life on this planet which has led the world in strength and prosperity for generations.

"Progressivism" isn't progress... it's a grand-scale influence methodology that seeks to replace the American Constitutional republic with a collectivist authoritarian state. The progressives want to accomplish this slowly - over time - seeking a progressive "evolution" of America instead of the sort of bloody "revolution" which replaced monarchies with communism in places like the former Soviet Union and Communist China.

The key message of progressivism is that government should grow, eventually becoming huge and all-controlling, in order to guarantee "fairness" and equality. The most casual observer of American society over the last hundred-plus years can see how successful they've been... today, we are close to having the government Gerald Ford first warned of (big enough to give you everything you think you want, but also big enough to take away everything you have). And this message is the exact opposite of that of the free-market, individually-driven, Constitutional republic envisioned by America's Founders. They put in place a limited government, knowing that the "people" would diminish as the government was allowed to grow. They realized, as Ronald Reagan said, that government is not the solution to our problems: government IS the problem.

So the opposite of a progressive these days is the type of person I call a "restorationist" - someone who seeks to defeat the progressive march toward collective statism and to restore the free republic of America. On the whole, that's a daunting project. But America has always worked best on a project basis - see World War II and the end of the Cold War - and even the badly-needed restoration of today is not a project beyond our joint ability. But each of us has some projects to undertake individually in order to help effect the restoration on a national level.

As I've mentioned before, your first project is to get solid about your own personal values - when the progressives call you a racist, a sexist, or a greedy wealth-mongering member of the "one percent," you need to be crystal-clear in your own mind that they're wrong. Know what you stand for, and then, though sticks and stones may break your bones (one hopes it doesn't come to that), names can never hurt you. The half-hearted restorationists who doubt their own values will be the first to buckle under progressive pressure and abandon their best projects... don't be one of them. And, of course, your "next first" project is to take leadership in your home, and ensure everyone in the family has that same solid bedrock of American values. The progressives send their kids to school alongside your kids... when their kids call your kids' mom a fascist, your kids need rock-solid proof that the other kids don't know what they're talking about.

Once you've solidified your values (and helped solidify your family's), it's time to look around for a project you can do in your community (or more broadly) to support the restoration. I write humorous letters to the editor of my local weekly, hoping to compete with the likes of Jon Stewart and Bill Maher for the hearts and minds of young amusement-seekers. Attract 'em with funny stuff, I figure, and meanwhile get them thinking. At least cast a little doubt into their minds about the ridiculous excesses of the progressive "Demediacrat coalition," and inform them of things like the president's blunders that they'll never get on "The Daily Show" (where the president, being a Demediacrat, can do no wrong). My humor-writing project has drawn a lot of criticism, as it was certain to do... I've been called a vendor of "a mild form of hate speech" several times by fellow letter-writers. But I've also found previously-hidden support; in a community that's thought to be "owned" by the progressives, at least half of the letters about MY letters (the better-written half, I'll add) have been supportive. And others have joined in, contributing more facts the average consumer of mainstream media would never learn.

What's your project? You could do something related to the media, or you could start a business, or you could write a book. How about politics? Most of us never think of ourselves as "political" in our mindset (the progressives are much more into that)... but it's true that evil will flourish when good people do nothing. So some of us need to take on a project in politics, in order to aid the restoration of America. Here are some thought-starters.

Can you run for local office? You might think that's crazy, but consider it. The Founders did not have "career politicians" in mind, but citizen leaders who'd all be willing to take their turn attending to the affairs of government. Think it over... would you be willing to take your turn on the school board, or the town council, or even the water-and-sewer board? The progressives have made amazing in-roads against individual liberty by taking over even the smallest governmental entities... are you going to let them continue to grab territory, completely unopposed?

If running for office doesn't match your style, maybe you could start (or even join and be active with) a restorationist discussion group. I can't say I've done much to help it, but I'm a member of such a group, and it's good to be occasionally in the company of like-minded folks to remind me that I'm not alone out there.

How about supporting the campaign of someone else who's running for office? How about circulating a petition on a liberty-related issue? Again, do we want to let the progressives (the "real one-percent" in terms of political power) continue to have all that space to themselves?

Find a particularly entrenched public office holder who's a progressive "star," and oppose them. There are lots of ways to do that, from attending their public hearings and voicing concerns, to writing letters to the editor, to making telephone calls to neighbors, to launching a recall campaign. Again, progressive politicians are pretty comfortable these days. They have the media, academe, Big Labor unions, the administrative state, and even Hollywood supporting them and covering for their every gaffe. They play the easy game of name-calling, declaring (without support) that their opponents are "unfair" and are everything from bigots to racists. One example: if a school district wants a tax increase for ANY reason, the progressive machine cranks out endless pleas for your money, "for the CHILDREN." But that money might not have anything to do with the children. Teacher's unions and school district administrations are often riddled with corruption and waste, and that tax increase might well be feathering countless unseen nests. If you speak out against the increase, you'll be criticized for being against "the CHILDREN;" so you have to have your facts (and your personal values) in order. But NOT speaking out might be exactly what the progressives hope you'll do.

There are many other projects you can think of, related to politics, which could be helpful in the effort to restore America. The progressives have a lot of weapons at their disposal, which is why they're doing so well these days. But the restorationist is not without considerable weaponry, too: the truth, reason, precedent, and the fact that many more Americans believe in the American ideal as founded than do in the long-sought statist Utopia.

The progressives will continue to win many of the battles, great and small. But find a project, and get in the game. They may be able to wrest more liberty from you, but don't let progressive politicians walk in and grab it unopposed.

Michael Hume is a speaker, writer, and consultant specializing in helping people maximize their potential and enjoy inspiring lives. As Founding Consultant of Agents of Personal Change (APC), LLC, he coaches executives and leaders in growing their personal sense of well-being through wealth creation and management, along with personal vitality. Those with an entrepreneurial spirit who want to make money "one less thing to worry about" can learn more about working with Michael...